The present invention relates to a cleaner for both dry and wet use capable of sucking not only a solid but also a semisolid and liquid.
There is an electric cleaner which is constructed so that sucked dust is collected in a paper pack that is set in a main body. On the other hand, there is a type in which water and so forth is accumulated in a main body and this is used as a filter.
Out of them, the latter is called a cleaner for both dry and wet use, and has a merit that an exhausted air is clean, compared with the former. Also, basically, the former can suck only a solid. However, the latter, that is to say, the cleaner for both dry and wet use can suck not only a solid but also a semisolid and liquid.
Here, this cleaner for both dry and wet use will be simply explained by using FIG. 10 showing its outline structure.
As understood from the figure, a conventional type of the cleaner for both dry and wet use (referred to as a conventional cleaner, hereinafter) has a tank 41 in which water is accumulated. This tank 41 is connected to a suction hose (not shown) through a lead-in tube 42.
On the other hand, a housing 43 is disposed above the tank 41. Also, above this housing 43, an electric fan 44 for suction is further installed.
In addition, a fan 45 for gas-liquid separation exists in the tank 41. Also, a movable ring 46 is attached on an upper end side of this fan 45 for gas-liquid separation. Especially, the movable ring 46 is contained in the above-described housing 43 so that a gap between the movable ring and an inner circumferential surface of the housing does not exist. And, the movable ring 46 is subject to a drive force of the electric fan 44 and rotates together with the fan 45 for gas-liquid separation.
Now, in the cleaner having such an arrangement, when the electric fan 44 is operated, an air current toward a lower side to an upper side occurs, and a pressure in the tank 41 is reduced. As a result, dust is sucked from the suction hose to the tank 41, and is accumulated in the tank. On the other hand, an air sucked together with the dust passes through the fan 45 for gas-liquid separation, the movable ring 46 and the electric fan 44 in order, and is exhausted to outside again. In addition, at this time, water which is scattered in the tank 41 is also carried to a side of the electric fan 44 by the air current. However, since the fan 45 for gas-liquid separation rotates at a high speed, only an air can pass through this fan 45 for gas-liquid separation. Accordingly, trouble does not occur, in which water reaches the electric fan 44 and makes it go wrong.
By the way, in such a conventional cleaner for both dry and wet use, there is the following task:
In other words, in the conventional type of the cleaner for both dry and wet use, it is impossible to increase the suction force so much. Namely, limitation of an output of a motor is set. This is why, if the suction force is increased over a certain fixed value, water is sucked up through the gap between the housing 43 and the movable ring 46. The sucked water reaches the electric fan 44 soon and makes it go wrong.
Incidentally, as mentioned above, airtightness is fully maintained between the housing 43 and the movable ring 46. In other words, the gap therebetween is extremely small. However, when the suction force becomes to be more than or equal to a fixed value, even though the gap is so small, water is sucked up from the gap.
If the gap between the housing 43 and the movable ring 46 is completely zero, such a task does not occur. However, the movable ring 46 rotates at a high speed with respect to the housing 43. Accordingly, naturally, it is impossible to make the gap zero.